Guilty plea in Albert Lea armed robbery

ALBERT LEA, Minn. – One of the men accused of a violent robbery and cross-border chase is pleading guilty.

Joshua James Allen, 31 of Austin, entered a guilty plea Tuesday to fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle. He was then found guilty of 1st degree aggravated robbery on Thursday. Allen and Tony Viramonh, 30 of Austin, were arrested on June 24 after Albert Lea police said the two pistol whipped a man and stole his television. Authorities say Allen and Viramonh speed away from a traffic stop after the robbery, starting a 20 minute chase that went into Iowa and then back into Minnesota, hitting speeds of 100 miles per hour.

Tony Viramonh

Allen and Viramonh were arrested after law enforcement says they drove over some stop sticks and surrendered at gunpoint.

Allen will be sentenced on November 2.

Viramonh is pleading not guilty to 1st degree aggravated robbery, illegal possession of a firearm, and fleeing a peace officer in a motor vehicle. His trail is scheduled to start on September 25.